Which Air Intake to choose

[Rixvette]

Does the K&N have the open filter or the heat shield? I think I've seen both. The heat shield should improve heat soak, but it's still not a CAI as it's drawing air from inside the front of the engine bay, and will probably get similar intake temps at stock, though may improve flow if you do headers and/or intake manifold.

The Vararam is one of the better options, and is a true CAI, which is the only type worth going with, as most of the open filter intakes might net an increase in ideal situations but are going to suffer from heat soak. I helped a friend put a Vararam on his 05 C6, and there was no appreciable butt dyno difference when the car was still stock. They claim a certain power gain (like many bolts on) but probably isn't realized without a tune, thought it doesn't require a tune to properly function like headers or an intake manifold. They even claim a certain positive air pressure at speed, which may be true. It's a bit of a pain to install because you have to cut the rad shroud, and if you do it in place have to be very careful not to cut through and hit the rad/AC condenser. The build quality wasn't great, the plastic had a rough finish on it, the clamps for the box were like a rubberized version of the T shaped clamps like the hood clamps on a Jeep CJ, and where the box fit around the filter it didn't look like it mated evenly with the seal. I think the new version has metal clamps as I've seen a couple in person and in pics.

Does the K&N have the open filter or the heat shield? I think I've seen both. The heat shield should improve heat soak, but it's still not a CAI as it's drawing air from inside the front of the engine bay, and will probably get similar intake temps at stock, though may improve flow if you do headers and/or intake manifold.

The Vararam is one of the better options, and is a true CAI, which is the only type worth going with, as most of the open filter intakes might net an increase in ideal situations but are going to suffer from heat soak. I helped a friend put a Vararam on his 05 C6, and there was no appreciable butt dyno difference when the car was still stock. They claim a certain power gain (like many bolts on) but probably isn't realized without a tune, thought it doesn't require a tune to properly function like headers or an intake manifold. They even claim a certain positive air pressure at speed, which may be true. It's a bit of a pain to install because you have to cut the rad shroud, and if you do it in place have to be very careful not to cut through and hit the rad/AC condenser. The build quality wasn't great, the plastic had a rough finish on it, the clamps for the box were like a rubberized version of the T shaped clamps like the hood clamps on a Jeep CJ, and where the box fit around the filter it didn't look like it mated evenly with the seal. I think the new version has metal clamps as I've seen a couple in person and in pics.

Thank you for the write up. I am thinking more about the AFE set up now as it does have a heat shield. Seems like they are not all they claim to be but only a personal preference if you want to modify the car for appearance.

I mean to say the cold air intakes in general, are not what they claim, it seems.

 

[Tim C.]

Thank you for the write up. I am thinking more about the AFE set up now as it does have a heat shield. Seems like they are not all they claim to be but only a personal preference if you want to modify the car for appearance.

Let everyone know what you choose and how it works. Thks

 

[Creedence85]

I mean to say the cold air intakes in general, are not what they claim, it seems.

Results will vary is probably a fine print disclaimer on most of these things. It depends whether you're going for aesthetics, performance, or additional mods ie. the Vararam and some other CAIs are ideal for heads, cam, exhaust bolt ons as the stock intake is restrictive to those mods. That's why my friend put the Vararam on is 2005 because he was doing bolt ons later, but he started with the intake, then full exhaust, and then heads, ported intake manifold, and cam.

 

[Millertime]

Does the K&N have the open filter or the heat shield? I think I've seen both. The heat shield should improve heat soak, but it's still not a CAI as it's drawing air from inside the front of the engine bay, and will probably get similar intake temps at stock, though may improve flow if you do headers and/or intake manifold.

The Vararam is one of the better options, and is a true CAI, which is the only type worth going with, as most of the open filter intakes might net an increase in ideal situations but are going to suffer from heat soak. I helped a friend put a Vararam on his 05 C6, and there was no appreciable butt dyno difference when the car was still stock. They claim a certain power gain (like many bolts on) but probably isn't realized without a tune, thought it doesn't require a tune to properly function like headers or an intake manifold. They even claim a certain positive air pressure at speed, which may be true. It's a bit of a pain to install because you have to cut the rad shroud, and if you do it in place have to be very careful not to cut through and hit the rad/AC condenser. The build quality wasn't great, the plastic had a rough finish on it, the clamps for the box were like a rubberized version of the T shaped clamps like the hood clamps on a Jeep CJ, and where the box fit around the filter it didn't look like it mated evenly with the seal. I think the new version has metal clamps as I've seen a couple in person and in pics.

I just installed the Vararam Super Snake and had metal clamps. Not the easiest to install but it is a ram air system not like a K&N. Very happy with the results so far.

 

[Footy]

ok so why is a quick replacement? go Delco or ? OTR?

 

[Keith Tedford]

May make inside noise. Dont like that.

There was no real difference in interior noise. The air intake is way out front right behind the grille. There might be some ram air effect at speed that other intakes wouldn't get.

 

[Tim C.]

There was no real difference in interior noise. The air intake is way out front right behind the grille. There might be some ram air effect at speed that other intakes wouldn't get.

Thanks

 

[umpy]

I put on an AirRaid system several years ago on my 07. Seems to work well, and priced well.
Fairly easy install and no cutting.
Check out www.Partsengine.ca
I bought the non oiled style as I drive under 5k per year

 

[Messner]

I have a Vararam intake on my '08, worth a look

I had been looking at that one too. Easy install? Did you have to cut anything?

Rixvette:
With my Vararam I had to cut some plastic. Easy install tho!

 

[Area Z51]

I installed the Vararam on my LS2 in 2010. No issues. It came with a shroud that was already cut. I just removed my original, and installed the cut shroud.
The Vararm cannot be calculated for horsepower, because it is forced air, and cannot be measured on a dyno.

 

[spiderman26500]

the cost is rediculous and the payout very little

 

[Keith Tedford]

Vararam 06-13 LS3/LS7 C6 & Z06 Corvette SC1R Ram Air Intake requires you to cut the shroud.

With ours, you can't even see the cutout area. A non issue for me. You are getting cool outside air, ram air effect, and looks basically stock. If you didn't know what you were looking at, you would very likely look right past the air intake all together, thinking it a factory item. It doesn't jump out at you as some hideous add on.

 

[Keith Tedford]

I installed the Vararam on my LS2 in 2010. No issues. It came with a shroud that was already cut. I just removed my original, and installed the cut shroud.
The Vararm cannot be calculated for horsepower, because it is forced air, and cannot be measured on a dyno.

The quarter mile may be the only way where you would see a before and after difference with the Vararam. The advertised big numbers sound a little stretched to me.

 

[Canuck204]

the cost is rediculous and the payout very little

Agreed. I bought mine mainly for eye candy.

 

[KevinB]

You never know who to believe today....but you have to have faith sometimes. My tuner told me I would see an improvement with a cai and long tube headers. This is a common held belief among performance shops. If they snowed me at least I got a good looking CAI and 66 more HP.

 

[Icecap]

the cost is rediculous and the payout very little

I agree since the only real performance benefit from these comes from the weight reduction of your wallet and if you're lucky enough to get one of the ones with the oiled washable filter elements you can trash and foul your MAP sensor with an oil film from the filter if they are over oiled. I've seen several documented and logged dyno pulls on engines with no other mods just comparing a stock and CAI and the differences were barely measurable. The added benefit of a K&N CAI is that they come with the K&N decal that you can put on your car.

 

[jcairns43@gmail.]

Go with stock set-up...GM engineers know more than aftermarket parts suppliers...when do you run at steady 6,000rpm where a low?? restriction filter may give you a little bit extra. Save your money...go Stock.

 

[guygeo]

Install a dropin K'N less trouble...unless you go to the track... not much interest on my side paying 700$...for more intake noise...

 

[guygeo]

An intake on your lawn mower tractor may do a difference, but when you already have 430HP... hum, by the seat of the pants might be hard to see the difference...

 

[jcairns43@gmail.]

For a few extra horses at the top end...it's not worth the money in my opinion.